Published: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 12:53 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 18, 2013 at 2:16 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - Lockheed Martin Corp. plans to close its Gyrocam Systems plant in southern Manatee County later this winter, eliminating 57 local jobs.

The giant defense contractor notified state employment officials last week that it was permanently shutting down the plant on March 15.

A company spokeswoman said Friday that 22 of the employees will transfer to plants in Orlando or Ocala, where the Gyrocam work is being absorbed.

Gyrocam's long-range optical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance — or "ISR" — products have been used primarily on ground vehicles by the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Air Force.

In September the company announced it had won a $333 million, two-year contract to provide spare and repair parts for the systems it had created for the Army that can spot roadside and other threats.

Gyrocam, then known as Aerial Films Inc., moved here from New Jersey in 2000. At the time, the company focused on a zoom video camera system stabilized by a gyroscope and mounted on the bellies of TV news helicopters.

After beefing up the systems with night vision and thermal imaging, the renamed Gyrocam expanded into defense work. Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed bought the company in 2009.

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - Lockheed Martin Corp. plans to close its Gyrocam Systems plant in southern Manatee County later this winter, eliminating 57 local jobs.</p><p>The giant defense contractor notified state employment officials last week that it was permanently shutting down the plant on March 15.</p><p>A company spokeswoman said Friday that 22 of the employees will transfer to plants in Orlando or Ocala, where the Gyrocam work is being absorbed.</p><p>Gyrocam's long-range optical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance — or "ISR" — products have been used primarily on ground vehicles by the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Air Force.</p><p>In September the company announced it had won a $333 million, two-year contract to provide spare and repair parts for the systems it had created for the Army that can spot roadside and other threats.</p><p>Gyrocam, then known as Aerial Films Inc., moved here from New Jersey in 2000. At the time, the company focused on a zoom video camera system stabilized by a gyroscope and mounted on the bellies of TV news helicopters.</p><p>After beefing up the systems with night vision and thermal imaging, the renamed Gyrocam expanded into defense work. Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed bought the company in 2009.</p>